Sharon Irene Warden Rachels, the daughter of Melvin Tedrow and Irene Elizabeth Fisher Warden, entered this world on December 12, 1938 in Granite City, Illinois. For the next 80 plus years she moved about Illinois, Florida, and Tennessee before finally coming to rest in Savannah. During that time, she and her husband of 62 years, Billy Joe, who was known to everyone as BJ, spent many hours in service to their God, their family, and their community.
Having married on June 29, 1956, Sharon and BJ eventually settled in Cahokia, Illinois where they worshipped with the Maplewood Church of Christ. Their time in Largo and Palm Harbor, Florida found them affiliated with the Central Church of Christ in Clearwater. They finally made their way to Jackson, Tennessee where they, along with nine other couples, founded Jackson Christian School which still offers a Christian education to young people today. Upon leaving Jackson, they settled in Bartlett, Tennessee where they became actively involved with the Brownsville Road Church of Christ in Memphis. Their final earthly destination proved to be Hardin County, Tennessee where they purchased a home in Pickwick. For a while they worshipped with the Pickwick Church of Christ before choosing the Savannah Church of Christ as their final church home. After BJ’s death on April 1, 2018, Sharon decided to sell their home in Pickwick and move to Savannah, a move meant to simplify live and allow her to be closer to her friends.
Never one to sit still for very long, Sharon worked as the manager and secretary for their businesses, West Tennessee Plan Room and BJ Rachels Professional Estimating Services from June 26, 1976 until sometime in 1998—over 22 years. Once they settled in Shelby County she began working for the school system there, a job she held for twelve years. Their move to Hardin County gave her new opportunities in education and she spent the next 20 years putting her Masters of Education from Trevecca Nazarene College to good use. Her affinity for education led to her membership in the National Education Association (NEA) . . . and her four daughters led to her involvement and many leadership positions in the Girl Scouts of America.
All four of Sharon and BJ’s girls attended Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson; they also graduated from the college, receiving their diplomas with their second daughter, Tina Marie. Their goals in life were simple but so important: to raise a Christian family in a Christian home—children who would marry Christian spouses and continue the commitment to their Lord and each other that Sharon and BJ so faithfully exhibited.
Sharon loved to travel and had just recently completed a month long trip around the country with Tina and her husband, Dennis. That trip was filled with so many of the things she enjoyed: camping (complete with nightly campfires), seeing God’s handy work and the beauty of His creation, and spending time with her family. Bible camps and mission work had occupied much of her time in earlier years and, added all together, those things had given her a fulfilled life and an abundance of happy memories.
Sharon Irene Warden Rachels left this earth for a far better place on Wednesday, July 24, 2019 at the age of 80 years, 7 months, and 12 days. She leaves behind her daughters, Belinda Irene Rachels Stone and her husband Jimmy Ray of Jackson, Tennessee, Tina Marie Rachels Stivers and her husband Dennis of Spring, Texas, Tinsel Dalne Rachels Dukes of Cordova, Tennessee, and Holly Elaine Rachels Hook and her husband Todd of Bentonville, Arkansas; her eight grandchildren, Jeremy Ray, Rachel, Jacqueline, Tyler, Michael and Andrew, Hunter, and Jacoby, as well as her nine great-grandchildren, McKennie Rose, Hattie Ray, (James) Everett, Cynthia and Adelaide, Celeste, Avalon and Cadence, and Gabriel. Also left to mourn Sharon’s passing are her sister Marlene Joyce Buchheit of Lakeland, Florida, her sister-in-law Helen McHugh of Belleville, Illinois, and a host of friends.
In addition to her parents and her beloved BJ, Sharon was preceded in death by her son-in-law Karry Dukes, and her sisters Melva Ilene Warden and Grace Marie Warden Callico.
Having married on June 29, 1956, Sharon and BJ eventually settled in Cahokia, Illinois where they worshipped with the Maplewood Church of Christ. Their time in Largo and Palm Harbor, Florida found them affiliated with the Central Church of Christ in Clearwater. They finally made their way to Jackson, Tennessee where they, along with nine other couples, founded Jackson Christian School which still offers a Christian education to young people today. Upon leaving Jackson, they settled in Bartlett, Tennessee where they became actively involved with the Brownsville Road Church of Christ in Memphis. Their final earthly destination proved to be Hardin County, Tennessee where they purchased a home in Pickwick. For a while they worshipped with the Pickwick Church of Christ before choosing the Savannah Church of Christ as their final church home. After BJ’s death on April 1, 2018, Sharon decided to sell their home in Pickwick and move to Savannah, a move meant to simplify live and allow her to be closer to her friends.
Never one to sit still for very long, Sharon worked as the manager and secretary for their businesses, West Tennessee Plan Room and BJ Rachels Professional Estimating Services from June 26, 1976 until sometime in 1998—over 22 years. Once they settled in Shelby County she began working for the school system there, a job she held for twelve years. Their move to Hardin County gave her new opportunities in education and she spent the next 20 years putting her Masters of Education from Trevecca Nazarene College to good use. Her affinity for education led to her membership in the National Education Association (NEA) . . . and her four daughters led to her involvement and many leadership positions in the Girl Scouts of America.
All four of Sharon and BJ’s girls attended Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson; they also graduated from the college, receiving their diplomas with their second daughter, Tina Marie. Their goals in life were simple but so important: to raise a Christian family in a Christian home—children who would marry Christian spouses and continue the commitment to their Lord and each other that Sharon and BJ so faithfully exhibited.
Sharon loved to travel and had just recently completed a month long trip around the country with Tina and her husband, Dennis. That trip was filled with so many of the things she enjoyed: camping (complete with nightly campfires), seeing God’s handy work and the beauty of His creation, and spending time with her family. Bible camps and mission work had occupied much of her time in earlier years and, added all together, those things had given her a fulfilled life and an abundance of happy memories.
Sharon Irene Warden Rachels left this earth for a far better place on Wednesday, July 24, 2019 at the age of 80 years, 7 months, and 12 days. She leaves behind her daughters, Belinda Irene Rachels Stone and her husband Jimmy Ray of Jackson, Tennessee, Tina Marie Rachels Stivers and her husband Dennis of Spring, Texas, Tinsel Dalne Rachels Dukes of Cordova, Tennessee, and Holly Elaine Rachels Hook and her husband Todd of Bentonville, Arkansas; her eight grandchildren, Jeremy Ray, Rachel, Jacqueline, Tyler, Michael and Andrew, Hunter, and Jacoby, as well as her nine great-grandchildren, McKennie Rose, Hattie Ray, (James) Everett, Cynthia and Adelaide, Celeste, Avalon and Cadence, and Gabriel. Also left to mourn Sharon’s passing are her sister Marlene Joyce Buchheit of Lakeland, Florida, her sister-in-law Helen McHugh of Belleville, Illinois, and a host of friends.
In addition to her parents and her beloved BJ, Sharon was preceded in death by her son-in-law Karry Dukes, and her sisters Melva Ilene Warden and Grace Marie Warden Callico.
Sharon Irene Warden Rachels, the daughter of Melvin Tedrow and Irene Elizabeth Fisher Warden, entered this world on December 12, 1938 in Granite City, Illinois. For the next 80 plus years she moved about Illinois, Florida, and Tennessee before finally coming to rest in Savannah. During that time, she and her husband of 62 years, Billy Joe, who was known to everyone as BJ, spent many hours in service to their God, their family, and their community.
Having married on June 29, 1956, Sharon and BJ eventually settled in Cahokia, Illinois where they worshipped with the Maplewood Church of Christ. Their time in Largo and Palm Harbor, Florida found them affiliated with the Central Church of Christ in Clearwater. They finally made their way to Jackson, Tennessee where they, along with nine other couples, founded Jackson Christian School which still offers a Christian education to young people today. Upon leaving Jackson, they settled in Bartlett, Tennessee where they became actively involved with the Brownsville Road Church of Christ in Memphis. Their final earthly destination proved to be Hardin County, Tennessee where they purchased a home in Pickwick. For a while they worshipped with the Pickwick Church of Christ before choosing the Savannah Church of Christ as their final church home. After BJ’s death on April 1, 2018, Sharon decided to sell their home in Pickwick and move to Savannah, a move meant to simplify live and allow her to be closer to her friends.
Never one to sit still for very long, Sharon worked as the manager and secretary for their businesses, West Tennessee Plan Room and BJ Rachels Professional Estimating Services from June 26, 1976 until sometime in 1998—over 22 years. Once they settled in Shelby County she began working for the school system there, a job she held for twelve years. Their move to Hardin County gave her new opportunities in education and she spent the next 20 years putting her Masters of Education from Trevecca Nazarene College to good use. Her affinity for education led to her membership in the National Education Association (NEA) . . . and her four daughters led to her involvement and many leadership positions in the Girl Scouts of America.
All four of Sharon and BJ’s girls attended Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson; they also graduated from the college, receiving their diplomas with their second daughter, Tina Marie. Their goals in life were simple but so important: to raise a Christian family in a Christian home—children who would marry Christian spouses and continue the commitment to their Lord and each other that Sharon and BJ so faithfully exhibited.
Sharon loved to travel and had just recently completed a month long trip around the country with Tina and her husband, Dennis. That trip was filled with so many of the things she enjoyed: camping (complete with nightly campfires), seeing God’s handy work and the beauty of His creation, and spending time with her family. Bible camps and mission work had occupied much of her time in earlier years and, added all together, those things had given her a fulfilled life and an abundance of happy memories.
Sharon Irene Warden Rachels left this earth for a far better place on Wednesday, July 24, 2019 at the age of 80 years, 7 months, and 12 days. She leaves behind her daughters, Belinda Irene Rachels Stone and her husband Jimmy Ray of Jackson, Tennessee, Tina Marie Rachels Stivers and her husband Dennis of Spring, Texas, Tinsel Dalne Rachels Dukes of Cordova, Tennessee, and Holly Elaine Rachels Hook and her husband Todd of Bentonville, Arkansas; her eight grandchildren, Jeremy Ray, Rachel, Jacqueline, Tyler, Michael and Andrew, Hunter, and Jacoby, as well as her nine great-grandchildren, McKennie Rose, Hattie Ray, (James) Everett, Cynthia and Adelaide, Celeste, Avalon and Cadence, and Gabriel. Also left to mourn Sharon’s passing are her sister Marlene Joyce Buchheit of Lakeland, Florida, her sister-in-law Helen McHugh of Belleville, Illinois, and a host of friends.
In addition to her parents and her beloved BJ, Sharon was preceded in death by her son-in-law Karry Dukes, and her sisters Melva Ilene Warden and Grace Marie Warden Callico.
Having married on June 29, 1956, Sharon and BJ eventually settled in Cahokia, Illinois where they worshipped with the Maplewood Church of Christ. Their time in Largo and Palm Harbor, Florida found them affiliated with the Central Church of Christ in Clearwater. They finally made their way to Jackson, Tennessee where they, along with nine other couples, founded Jackson Christian School which still offers a Christian education to young people today. Upon leaving Jackson, they settled in Bartlett, Tennessee where they became actively involved with the Brownsville Road Church of Christ in Memphis. Their final earthly destination proved to be Hardin County, Tennessee where they purchased a home in Pickwick. For a while they worshipped with the Pickwick Church of Christ before choosing the Savannah Church of Christ as their final church home. After BJ’s death on April 1, 2018, Sharon decided to sell their home in Pickwick and move to Savannah, a move meant to simplify live and allow her to be closer to her friends.
Never one to sit still for very long, Sharon worked as the manager and secretary for their businesses, West Tennessee Plan Room and BJ Rachels Professional Estimating Services from June 26, 1976 until sometime in 1998—over 22 years. Once they settled in Shelby County she began working for the school system there, a job she held for twelve years. Their move to Hardin County gave her new opportunities in education and she spent the next 20 years putting her Masters of Education from Trevecca Nazarene College to good use. Her affinity for education led to her membership in the National Education Association (NEA) . . . and her four daughters led to her involvement and many leadership positions in the Girl Scouts of America.
All four of Sharon and BJ’s girls attended Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson; they also graduated from the college, receiving their diplomas with their second daughter, Tina Marie. Their goals in life were simple but so important: to raise a Christian family in a Christian home—children who would marry Christian spouses and continue the commitment to their Lord and each other that Sharon and BJ so faithfully exhibited.
Sharon loved to travel and had just recently completed a month long trip around the country with Tina and her husband, Dennis. That trip was filled with so many of the things she enjoyed: camping (complete with nightly campfires), seeing God’s handy work and the beauty of His creation, and spending time with her family. Bible camps and mission work had occupied much of her time in earlier years and, added all together, those things had given her a fulfilled life and an abundance of happy memories.
Sharon Irene Warden Rachels left this earth for a far better place on Wednesday, July 24, 2019 at the age of 80 years, 7 months, and 12 days. She leaves behind her daughters, Belinda Irene Rachels Stone and her husband Jimmy Ray of Jackson, Tennessee, Tina Marie Rachels Stivers and her husband Dennis of Spring, Texas, Tinsel Dalne Rachels Dukes of Cordova, Tennessee, and Holly Elaine Rachels Hook and her husband Todd of Bentonville, Arkansas; her eight grandchildren, Jeremy Ray, Rachel, Jacqueline, Tyler, Michael and Andrew, Hunter, and Jacoby, as well as her nine great-grandchildren, McKennie Rose, Hattie Ray, (James) Everett, Cynthia and Adelaide, Celeste, Avalon and Cadence, and Gabriel. Also left to mourn Sharon’s passing are her sister Marlene Joyce Buchheit of Lakeland, Florida, her sister-in-law Helen McHugh of Belleville, Illinois, and a host of friends.
In addition to her parents and her beloved BJ, Sharon was preceded in death by her son-in-law Karry Dukes, and her sisters Melva Ilene Warden and Grace Marie Warden Callico.
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